A Hope Mills man has been arrested and charged after police say he tried to kill his wife with ant poison.

Authorities said Eugene Richard Pittman, 52, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Eugene Richard Pittman

According to the arrest warrant, Eugene's wife noticed a funny taste in her meal. The woman said she woke up later to find that her hands and mouth were duct taped, and Eugene was holding her nose shut.

She said Eugene told her she had two choices: that she could leave or she could die.

Police said Eugene willfully and feloniously "attempted to murder his wife by poisoning her food with Terro ant poison."